By Benjamin Umuteme
Abuja
The Ministry of Finance has said that it will not compromise on laid down statutory procedures governing the granting of import duty waivers to importers and Non Governmental Organisations.
According to the Ministry in a statement signed by Director, Information, Salisu, Na’Inna Dambata, yesterday in Abuja, there ministry would not just grant waiver to any individual or group as there are standard procedures for doing so.
Over the years, the importers of drugs, health commodities and other related equipments have been known to flawed import procedures governing the importation of items donated by donor agencies.
The statement noted that the laid down procedures are part of holistic measures put in place to check abuses of the Federal Government’s fiscal incentives, and to put a halt to rampart corrupt practices in the economy.
The Ministry of Finance says recently, it has observed the flagrant abuse of import duty waivers by some NGOs and importers, who smuggled other imported items into approved waivers issued for the importation of medical equipment and drug related items.
According to them, the Ministry has also observed that some importers and NGOs engage in the sale of imported drug items which are meant to be distributed to the public free after being granted import duty exemption by the Government. This is in contravention of the provisions of Section 46 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) of 1958 (as amended).
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Finance has been drawn to attempts by some importers and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to malign the name of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and the Ministry over spurious claims of refusing to grant import duty waivers in respect of drugs, health commodities and related equipment donated by the Global Fund.”
”Part of the procedures includes submission of an application by the importer and NGO to the Federal Ministry of Finance through the Federal Ministry of Health; evidence of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission; submission of an approved Memorandum of Understanding duly signed by the Honourable or the Honourable Minister of State, Budget and National Planning between the Donor Agencies, Federal Government of Nigeria and the Recipient-NGOs, presentation of a certificate of exemption from tax from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (only for those who engage in non-profit making activities in line with their objectives), submission of a proforma invoice indicating the value of the imported items, bill of laden and if the imported items are donated, the NGOs are required to provide the Federal Ministry of Finance with authenticated letter from the donor agencies.
“Additional documentation may also be required where the need arises. Meanwhile, some of the applicants referred to in the sponsored write-up being planned for circulation did not submit the required documents for processing import duty waivers requests.”
The Ministry disclosed that as a result of the special attention it accords health, it received 318 concession applications and processed 175 since 1st May to 24th November, 2017.
While appreciating the generosity of Donor Agencies and partner NGOs in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, tuberculosis and other deadly diseases, the Ministry warns that “it will not succumb to cheap blackmail and acts of economic sabotage under the guise of the delivery of health services to the people of Nigeria.”
